Ski boot with pressure compensating brace

ABSTRACT

A ski boot whose heel embracing counter is provided with upstanding extension means which equalizes stress and strain and increases backward pressure such as is necessarily applied while initiating and completing an intended turn and which is controllably helpful when skiing in deep-powdery snow. It comprises a contoured leg contacting brace which functions to stabilize the over-all boot so that pressure imposed stress is distributively transferred from the leg to boot and to the usual binding and ski. It is so designed and uniquely attached that it does not impose discomforting pressure on the boot-enclosed ankle or foot. The lower end portion is firmly bracketed on the counter of the boot and the upper portion braced against leg.

United States Patent Kaufman et al.

[451 July 25, 1972 SK] BOOT WITH PRESSURE COMPENSATING BRACE [22] Filed: Feb.9, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 113,870

3,475,835 11/1969 Kovar ..2/22X FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,299,818 6/1962 France ..36/2.5 AL

Primary Examiner-Patrick D. Lawson Attorney-Clarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT A ski boot whose heel embracing counter is provided with upstanding extension means which equalizes stress and strain and increases backward pressure such as is necessarily applied while initiating and completing an intended turn and which is controllably helpful when skiing in deep-powdery snow. It comprises a contoured leg contacting brace which functions to stabilize the over-all boot so that pressure imposed stress is distributively transferred from the leg to boot and to the usual binding and ski. It is so designed and uniquely attached that it does not impose discomforting pressure on the boot-enclosed ankle or foot. The lower end portion is firmly bracketed on the counter of the boot and the upper portion braced against leg.

6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures Patented July 25, 1972 Jack 8 Kaufman Raymond G. He/d This invention relates, broadly stated, to a ski boot and. more particularly, to an accessory which when properly made and adaptably contoured functions to increase the utility and capability of the boot particularly when backward pressure is applied while finishing a turn, when skiing in deep powder-like snow and when ever-varying techniques of skiing are being tried out.

An object of the present invention is to advance the art of ski boots and to promote the achievement of a higher level of performance by skiers and to do so without noticeably or appreciably increasing weight of a properly fitted and seemingly cumbersome boot.

There has long existed a need for a boot which promotes efficient maneuverability and yet not focus or impose discomforting pressure and strain on the confined foot and ankle. It follows that it is an object of the instant concept to continue the use of accepted skiing boots and to add to the rear or counter-portion of the boot a lightweight aluminum or an equivalent extender which functions to accommodate and compensate for the stress generated by the leg pressing against the extender and to transfer and distribute stress to the exterior components of the ski boot. In carrying out the principles of the instant concept the outstanding extender comes into play as a leg contacting brace and functions to stabilize the over-all boot whereby the pressure imposed stress and attending forces is distributively transferred from the leg to the boot and the complemental binding and the ski itself.

Construed from a similar but generally analogouspoint of view the extender or brace is a self-contained accessory which is simple, practical. and readily applicable and usable and whose lower end coacts with the counter portion of the ski boot effectively increasing the height of the entire back or rear side of the boot thereby enabling the skier to concentrate the application of body power to an intended turn, to shorten the radius of the turn, increase the probability of recovering from off-balance positions and to decrease the time necessary for an expected turn or a series of turns. It follows that the brace contributes with requisite nicety and desirability to the performance of each boot with the result that the stresses which are ordinarily so difficult to cope with are correctly transferred from leg to boot and binding and complemental ski.

Interpreted from another point of view it can be said that an underlying basic purpose of the stabilizing and bracing attachment or accessory is to function as a ski boot back extender, that is, an adaptation which extends and provides a more resourceful and skillfully usable boot and with the result that the advantage obtained increases the amount of backward pressure applied while finishing a turn or when skiing in deep powdery snow and which is also of significant advantage when an experienced skier sets out to work on difficult and otherwise dangerous skiing techniques.

Briefly the inventive concept can be construed as a ski boot of aconventional type wherein the brace takes the form of an attachment or an accessory. or can for similar reasons be thought of as especially constructed attachments made of such size as is desired for male and. female use and which lends itself to installation on ski boots which are already on the market and which can be installed by persons skilled in the art of producing, fitting and selling ski boots. For simplicity of presentation here the invention is classified as an accessory or an attachment, more particularly, a pressure distributing and compensating extender or brace.

More explicity the brace comprises an elongated aluminum or an equivalent lightweight extender or brace, in fact, one which lends itself to production from appropriate plastics and which may also be made of aluminum or equivalent material and covered with a plastic or an equivalent jacket. The brace proper comprises an elongated plate of requisite length, thickness and contour which is dished or concavo-convex in transverse cross-section. The inner longitudinal edge is straight from end to end, the outer longitudinal edge is slightly curved and the transverse upper and lower edges are straight and curved respectively. The interior lower half portion of the concave side is provided with an attached or an integral adapter which may be also referred to as a bracket and which serves to appropriately and fittingly mount the brace to assume its leg contacting pressure distributing and compensating results.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawinp forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. I is a view in side elevation showing a fragmentary portion of a ski, a conventional type ski boot, the binding or fastening means mounting the sole thereof atop the ski and showing what is more significant here, the pressure distributing and compensating extender or brace and how it is attached and used.

FIG. 2 is a central and longitudinal sectional view on a slightly enlarged scale and which functions to bring out the manner in which the bottom or lower end portion of the attachable brace is mounted on the counter portion of the boot.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of the extender or brace by itself.

FIG. 4 is a small rear elevational view which shows the exterior or convex side of the extender or brace.

And FIG. 5 is a modification wherein the extender or brace is the same as in the other views but which is optionally enclosed within the confines of a form fitting plastic or equivalent jacket.

With reference now to the views of the drawings particularly FIGS. 1 to 4 the ski proper is denoted, generally stated by the numeral 6 and is shown supporting the customary sole 8 of a conventional type ski boot 10. The aforementioned fastening or binding means is also conventional and is denoted by the numeral 12. The upper of the boot is denoted at 14, the strap being denoted at 16 and the counter portion of the boot at 18.

With reference now to the upstanding extender or extension and stress and strain distributing means this part of the combination can best be seen in FIG. 3 wherein it will be noted that it is denoted by the numeral 20. It is a vertically elongated plate which is of the approximate size and shape shown in FIG. 3 and proportionally illustrated in FIG. I. This plate is concavo-convex in transverse cross-section and the convex boot and leg contacting surface is. denoted at 22 and the convex surface at 24. The inner longitudinal marginal edge is straight as at 26 and the opposite longitudinal edge is longitudinally curved as at 28. The slightly straight across transverse lower end is denoted at 30 and it will be noticed that the over-all plate is gradually narrowed from the upper transverse end 32 to the lower end 30. The upper end is also accurately curved. This plate or brace may be said to be made up of a median body portion, an upper portion and a lower portion. The lower portion is provided with adapter means, more particularly, a bracket which is denoted at 34. This bracket is provided with a shank 36 which is superimposed on and fixed to the concave side and which has a depending narrowing tang or tongue 38 which is fitted on the interior of the counter-portion of the boot as best shown in FIG. 2. This tang is provided with selectively usable holes 40 for accommodation of fastener means made up of component parts 42 and 44. The intermediate portion of the bracket is laterally bent to offset the tang and to provide a limit stop shoulder as at 46. This shoulder rests atop the upper edge 48 of the counter-portion and the fastener means passes through the counter-portions and the holes provided therefor and also through the apertures 50in the lower portion of the brace as seen in FIGS. 4 and 5.

It is within the purview of the invention to make the device of molded fiber glass or to make it in two parts, that is l) the brace and (2) the adapter or attaching bracket as illustrated in FIG. 3 in particular. The purpose of FIG. 5 is to bring out the fact that the brace can if desired be enclosed in a plastic or an equivalent jacket as at 52 in the modification shown in FIG. 5.

It will be understood from the description and views of the drawing that a boot equipped with the brace shown will not press into the foot as pressure is applied to the upper median and upper end portions of the concave side of the brace thus providing the desired pressure transfer and lever fulcruming action. It is also significant to observe that the firm manner of attachment which results in effecting desired pressure transfer to the foot with minimal fulcrumized pressure on the foot or ankle is herein meritorious and is accordingly stressed. Then too, it is submitted that a brace constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention shown and described well serves the purposes for which it has been perfected. The fact that the invention is of utmost in simplicity and construction, its manner of attachment and use will be, it is believed, clearly understandable. It follows that a more extended description is deemed to be unnecessary.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A ski boot characterized by a conventional-type sole sup ported upper embodying a conformable heel embracing rear counter portion, stiff vertically elongated extension means extending exteriorly along the rear of said counter portion from a lower portion thereof to a point spaced appreciably above the top of the boot for surface-to-surface contact with the rear surfaces of the calf of the associated leg and stationarily secured to the boot and functioning to equalize stress and strain on the over-all boot and the enclosed foot and facilitating the application of backward thrusting leg pressure on the upper, said extension means including means, intermediate its opposite ends, defining a rigid forwardly displaced and downwardly directed tongue overlying the forward side of the upper rear portion of said upper.

2. The ski boot defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein said vertically elongated extension means comprises a rigid but lightweight vertically elongated plate, said plate havpoint spaced appreciably above the top of the boot for surface-to-surface contact with the rear surfaces of the associated leg and stationarily secured to the boot and functioning to equalize stress and strain on the over-all boot and the enclosed foot and facilitating the application of backward thrusting leg pressure on the upper, said vertically elongated extension 1 means comprising a rigid but lightweight vertically elongated plate, said plate having a concave interior side conforming to the abutted surfaces of the counter-portion of the boot and asi sociated surface portions of the leg, said plate including a lower portion which is provided with an attaching and retaining bracket, said bracket being provided. with an upper shank portion superimposed on and affixed to a concave surface of the plate and which is provided with an off-set depending attaching tang received downwardly in the rear of the boot upper.

5. The ski boot defined in and according to claim 4 wherein said shoulder is engageable with the upper edge portion of the rear boot upper.

6. An attachment for the heel embracing counter-portion of a ski boot comprising a vertically elongated rigid plate having upper and lower transverse ends and interconnectinglongitudinal edge portions, and means for attaching a lower interior end portion of said plate to a counter-portion of the aforementioned boot, said plate being elongated and having one straight longitudinal marginal edge, the opposite longitudinal marginal edge being curved, and the upper transverse end being arcuately curved, an elongated adapter bracket fixed on a centralized locale of one face of said plate and having an off-set tang provided with fastener holes, and a shoulder portion to abut an edge of the counter of the boot. 

1. A ski boot characterized by a conventional-type sole supported upper embodying a conformable heel embracing rear counter portion, stiff vertically elongated extension means extending exteriorly along the rear of said counter portion from a lower portion thereof to a point spaced appreciably above the top of the boot for surface-to-surface contact with the rear surfaces of the calf of the associated leg and stationarily secured to the boot and functioning to equalize stress and strain on the over-all boot and the enclosed foot and facilitating the application of backward thrusting leg pressure on the upper, said extension means including means, intermediate its opposite ends, defining a rigid forwardly displaced and downwardly directed tongue overlying the forward side of the upper rear porTion of said upper.
 2. The ski boot defined in and according to claim 1 and wherein said vertically elongated extension means comprises a rigid but lightweight vertically elongated plate, said plate having a concave interior side conforming to the abutted surfaces of the counter-portion of the boot and associated surface portions of the leg.
 3. The ski boot defined in and according to claim 1 wherein said plate includes lower portion which is provided with an attaching and retaining bracket.
 4. A ski boot characterized by a conventional-type sole supported upper embodying a conformable heel embracing rear counter portion, stiff vertically elongated extension means extending exteriorly along the rear of said counter portion to a point spaced appreciably above the top of the boot for surface-to-surface contact with the rear surfaces of the associated leg and stationarily secured to the boot and functioning to equalize stress and strain on the over-all boot and the enclosed foot and facilitating the application of backward thrusting leg pressure on the upper, said vertically elongated extension means comprising a rigid but lightweight vertically elongated plate, said plate having a concave interior side conforming to the abutted surfaces of the counter-portion of the boot and associated surface portions of the leg, said plate including a lower portion which is provided with an attaching and retaining bracket, said bracket being provided with an upper shank portion superimposed on and affixed to a concave surface of the plate and which is provided with an off-set depending attaching tang received downwardly in the rear of the boot upper.
 5. The ski boot defined in and according to claim 4 wherein said shoulder is engageable with the upper edge portion of the rear boot upper.
 6. An attachment for the heel embracing counter-portion of a ski boot comprising a vertically elongated rigid plate having upper and lower transverse ends and interconnecting longitudinal edge portions, and means for attaching a lower interior end portion of said plate to a counter-portion of the aforementioned boot, said plate being elongated and having one straight longitudinal marginal edge, the opposite longitudinal marginal edge being curved, and the upper transverse end being arcuately curved, an elongated adapter bracket fixed on a centralized locale of one face of said plate and having an off-set tang provided with fastener holes, and a shoulder portion to abut an edge of the counter of the boot. 